Man City to beat ‘Fullman’? Lawro takes on Hollywood star Wahlberg

Liverpool’s trip to Wembley to play Tottenham is the pick of the weekend fixtures as the Premier League resumes after the international break.

The same game last season saw Spurs clinch an emphatic 4-1 win, with Reds defender Dejan Lovren enduring a particularly torrid time against Harry Kane, but will Jurgen Klopp’s side fare any better on Saturday?

BBC Sport’s football expert Mark Lawrenson says: “I have a feeling Liverpool will be Lovren-less this time.

“If I am right, it will be a big test for Joe Gomez at the heart of the Liverpool defence because I would expect Kane to play.

Lawro is making predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.

This week’s guest is actor Mark Wahlberg, star of new action-thriller film Mile 22.

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Leicester Square, Waterford & Fullman – Mark Wahlberg talks football

Wahlberg grew up playing American sports and admits football, or soccer as he calls it, is not his first love.

He struggled with a few Premier League team names when he was picking this week’s scores – like Leicester Square, Waterford and Fullman for example.

But he has been a fan of the sport since watching the 2011 Women’s World Cup, and showed a knack for predictions after becoming an avid viewer of the men’s tournament in Russia this summer.

“I started watching it, and fell in love with it,” Wahlberg told BBC Sport. “I was actually eight from nine with my predictions leading right up to the final game.”

Lawro, be warned.

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Wahlberg thinks Jimmy Silva, the character he plays in Mile 22, would make a good footballer because he has got a “never give up, never give in attitude – he is win at all costs, whether you get a yellow card or a red card, you have got to do what have to do”.

A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.

LAWRO’S PREDICTIONS

All kick-offs 15:00 BST unless stated.

SATURDAY

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Tottenham v Liverpool (12:30 BST)

Liverpool came unstuck against Spurs at Wembley last season but I have a feeling that both teams might cancel each other out this time.

So I am going to go for a draw.

Both teams are going well, and I think they would both be happy enough for a point.

Like Liverpool and Watford, Chelsea have got a 100% record from their first four league games and I see that perfect start continuing here.

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Cardiff, in contrast, have not won yet but I don’t think their manager Neil Warnock will be too concerned, even if they lose again on Saturday.

The big games for the Bluebirds are against the teams that are going to be around them towards the bottom of the table – anything they get at Stamford Bridge is a bonus but they do not want to be on the end of a heavy defeat.

I’d expect the Welsh side to be very competitive, but Chelsea will have too much for them.

Watford are flying, and much has been made of the part in that played by Troy Deeney’s partnership with Andre Gray up front.

This will be a real test for Manchester United’s defence, but it is one I think they will pass.

United’s win at Burnley last time out was a big result for them, not just because they needed the three points after losing two games in a row, but because they needed to stop all the chatter around Jose Mourinho’s future.

I am going to go for another United win here, although I think it will be close.

MONDAY

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Southampton v Brighton (20:00 BST)

Both of these teams have four points from their first four games and both have picked up an impressive win along the way too – Brighton against Manchester United in August and Southampton at Crystal Palace last time out.

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Southampton were excellent – Hughes

This should be a close contest – the Seagulls showed they are ready to scrap when they came back from 2-0 down to draw with Fulham last time out and, with Danny Ings up front, Southampton are looking far more dangerous up front that they did last season.

I am delighted for Danny because he had such a dreadful time of it with injuries at Liverpool. He is one of those players who everyone loves, because of his work ethic and the way he trained, so it is brilliant he is back playing and scoring.

Lawro’s prediction: 1-1

Mark’s prediction: Southampton versus Brighton and Hove Albion? Let’s say Southampton, because I don’t know how to say that other name again. 4-2

Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.

How did Lawro do last week?

Lawro got four correct results, including one perfect score, from 10 matches for a total of 70 points.

He was beaten by BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Greg James, who got five correct results, including one exact score, for a total of 80 points.